It feels like a tough Monday for USMNT fans. This week has been dramatic for both CONCACAF and UEFA Nations Leagues. Let`s dive into the situation.
USMNT in Crisis
With just 445 days until the United States hosts the World Cup at SoFi Stadium, the USMNT, considered a Golden Generation, suffered another setback. They failed to medal in a four-team competition, finishing fourth in the CONCACAF Nations League after a 2-1 loss to Canada, following a narrow 1-0 defeat to Panama. Again, it was a close game where luck seemed against the USMNT, particularly when a deflection led to Tani Oluwaseyi`s opening goal.
This USMNT, dominant in CONCACAF for the past half-decade, was expected to overcome such adversities. Their talent has been highly praised, but veterans like Landon Donovan question if talent is enough. Donovan expressed frustration on social media, emphasizing that “pride is better” than talent. Clint Dempsey echoed these sentiments, pointing to a lack of fight and unity within the team.
Dempsey commented: `You`d expect more fight in this game, more pride to get back on track and rally the fans. They need to fight for the fans. Things are tense, and everyone seems to be turning on each other. When I played, I gave everything.`
Pochettino also hinted at similar concerns after the Panama loss, suggesting some players were on `automatic pilot,` expecting easy wins. Christian Pulisic shared this view, noting Panama played like it was `their everything.`
Attitude might be a fixable issue before the World Cup, especially with the motivation of hosting. However, what if the problems are deeper?
Canada`s victory was partly due to Jonathan David, a top European-level player, a type the USMNT has few of. While some Americans play in major European leagues, many are not regular starters. This raises questions about whether the USMNT`s talent pool is truly superior to CONCACAF rivals or future World Cup opponents.
Perhaps the core issue is the stagnation of players since the 2022 World Cup. Pardeep Cattry raised this point:
- Cattry: `While players like Christian Pulisic and Antonee Robinson excel in their leagues, many others are squad players, and some, like Matt Turner and Gio Reyna, struggle for consistent playtime. This inconsistency may have hindered their development, preventing meaningful progress since 2022.`
This potential stagnation is a major worry for Pochettino. Addressing team attitude might be possible, but the player pool is fixed. The Nations League performance suggests the World Cup could be a significant challenge.
UEFA Nations League Highlights
In Europe`s Nations League, drama unfolded. Multiple quarterfinal ties went to extra time and shootouts. Portugal against Denmark was a highlight, with Cristiano Ronaldo taking center stage. Despite an early missed penalty, Ronaldo scored later, but Francisco Trincao became Portugal`s hero with crucial goals. Portugal will face Germany in the semifinals.
Germany seemed in control against Italy, but Italy nearly mounted a comeback, fueled by a Moise Kean double. Spain and France also advanced to the semifinals, overcoming the Netherlands and Croatia respectively in dramatic fashion.
The stage is set for exciting semifinals in Germany this June.
